I left active duty in 2006 and started a business at the beginning of the "Great Recession" in what were arguably the worst possible business conditions. I was able to both survive and then thrive because of my MBA education. I highly recommend it for any professional or entrepreneur who wants the highest return on their investment in an MBA education.

Chris Ognek

Program Summary

Nationally Ranked

The Penn State online MBA is led by the Smeal College of Business and is AACSB-accredited. To enhance our course offerings, and to provide expertise in various areas of business specialization, world-renowned faculty from the Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend; The School of Graduate Professional Studies, Great Valley; and Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration will also be teaching various courses within this program.

The Redesigned Penn State Online MBA: Greater Flexibility, More Choice

When it comes to selecting an MBA program, you want a quality education that fits your needs. The Penn State Online MBA, led by the internationally ranked Penn State Smeal College of Business and delivered online, is designed to offer you an experience customized to fit your busy lifestyle and career goals while delivering a world-class education.

This AACSB–accredited MBA incorporates a focus on business strategies, collaborative teamwork, strategic leadership, and an integrative and interactive curriculum across all functional areas of business. You will be able to concentrate on the functional areas in which you want to specialize while working at a pace that works for you. You will participate in many team-based projects, which encourages you to network with and learn from peers of diverse backgrounds and specialties.

Your Online MBA Curriculum

The core course work will prepare you to become a more effective business professional by exposing you to the principles and practices essential to modern management. You will also develop skills that will be integrated throughout the Online MBA curriculum, including business analytics, problem solving, influencing others, critical thinking, and cross-functional business savvy.

The program provides opportunities for you to apply your knowledge to solving real-world business problems in a team setting. Every course will include teamwork. Graduates should possess a strong foundation of understanding how businesses operate, how to integrate knowledge across functional areas, how to work effectively in high-performing teams, and how to lead and manage strategically for the future.

Customize Your Education with a Concentration

Penn State's comprehensive list of Online MBA concentrations was developed to address skill gaps in today’s competitive business environment. These concentrations allow you to customize your education while gaining highly marketable skills that are in demand right now. As a student, you can select from the following 9-credit concentrations:

accounting foundations

advanced accounting

business analytics

business architecture

business sustainability strategy

corporate innovation and entrepreneurship

finance

general management

human resource management

marketing analytics

negotiation and influence

project management

strategic management

supply chain management

Each concentration allows you to sharpen skill sets specific to your career aspirations. If you are seeking a broader business education, the General Management track might be right for you.

Five-Day Residency

A defining component of our program is the five-day residency held at University Park, Pennsylvania, at the start of the program. The residency provides you an opportunity to meet your instructors and student peers, immerse yourself in a team performance class while earning credit, and attend workshops covering career management, alumni relations and networking, and online technology. Keynote speakers will share their expertise and facilitate engaging conversations focused on the translation of your Online MBA degree to the real-world environment. Learn more about the residency experience.

Global Immersion Experience

Beginning in spring 2020, you will have the opportunity to participate in an optional Global Immersion trip. For one week, you will join up with fellow Penn Staters from the resident MBA and Executive MBA programs to visit a pivotal global business region in order to develop a critical awareness of international business practices and diverse cultures. Visit our courses page to learn more.

Student Support and Career Services

You will have access to an array of resources as a Penn State student. The Online MBA program team consists of expert full-time faculty, a top-ranked Penn State World Campus Technical Support team, experienced career advisers, and highly qualified administrative staff. The team provides personal assistance and advice in regard to your academic plan and career goals throughout your time as a Penn State student. You will receive the same educational support resources that our on-campus students receive in their MBA program.

Information for Military and Veterans

Are you a member of the military, a veteran, or a military spouse? Please visit our military website for additional information regarding financial aid, transfer credits, or application instructions.